Recently purchased an early 19th Century Dutch purse, just to get the cantel to use on a sporran. (It's slightly larger than an MOD cantel.) It's silver, and so heavily tarnished it looks black. If I were to take to Antiques Road Show they'd tell me not to polish it. However, it will contrast so much better with whatever bag I decide to put on it if polished. I'm torn between leaving it alone, and shining it up. Any thoughts?

Right now it has a lined velvet bag stitched to the cantel. It would need to be removed before polishing. The Woman thinks we ought to use the purse as a wall hanging. She's got a point.